Tiny microplastics are making their way into the human brain, and new research suggests the problem is getting worse. The new study, published Feb. 3 in the journal Nature, found that brain samples collected in 2024 contained significantly more microplastics than those taken eight years earlier. Researchers say the amount of plastic in the brain… read on > read on >
Hospitalizations for firearm injuries sharply increased in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic after years of steady decline, a new study says. Overall, 34% more people landed in the hospital for a gunshot injury in 2020 and 2021 than would have been predicted based on pre-pandemic trends, researchers reported Jan. 27 in JAMA Network Open.… read on > read on >
Many Americans don’t see anything wrong with taking daily low-dose aspirin, even though experts have concluded its risks outweigh its benefits, a new survey has found. Nearly half (48%) of people incorrectly think that the benefits of taking low-dose aspirin daily to reduce the risk of heart attack or stroke outweigh the risks, according to… read on > read on >
New moms who’ve just had twins run a high risk of heart disease in the coming weeks and months, a new study suggests. Women have a doubled risk of hospitalization for heart problems within a year of delivering twins, researchers reported Feb. 3 in the European Heart Journal. Their risk is even higher — more… read on > read on >
Canadian youngsters are munching loads of ultra-processed foods, increasing their lifelong risk of obesity, a new study says. “We saw that ultra-processed foods contributed to almost half of a child’s total daily energy intake,” senior researcher Kozeta Miliku, an assistant professor of nutritional sciences at the University of Toronto, said in a news release. About… read on > read on >
Drugs like blood thinners, cholesterol-lowering statins and blood pressure meds can protect the health and extend the lives of people with heart disease. But only if patients take the drugs — and many around the world aren’t, a new study says. Overall, fewer than half of heart patients from 17 countries who could benefit from… read on > read on >
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has taken down multiple health-related websites and datasets, including those on HIV, LGBTQ health and more, following executive orders from the Trump administration. The orders require federal agencies to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs and to recognize only two biological sexes: male and female.… read on > read on >
Landing in the hospital with COVID or the flu can put your heart health at dire risk, a new study suggests. Adults hospitalized for a severe infection are more than twice as likely to develop heart failure years later, according to findings published Jan. 30 in the Journal of the American Heart Association. The results… read on > read on >
Cold showers or ice baths have become a trendy way to recuperate after a heavy-duty workout, but do they actually help? A new evidence review suggests there’s some science to back up the hype. People report lower stress, improved sleep and better quality of life following cold-water immersion, researchers reported Jan. 29 in the journal… read on > read on >
A simple acronym — F.A.S.T. — can help bystanders recognize the first signs of stroke and call 911 right away, a new study says. Both F.A.S.T and another acronym, BE-FAST, helped people remember the symptoms of stroke, according to findings to be presented Wednesday at a meeting of the American Stroke Association. However, people remembered… read on > read on >
